SONG: "Dreaming" (Blondie cover)
ARTIST: Green Day
ALBUM: "Dreaming" single
YEAR: 2020
PLACE OF ORIGIN: Rodeo, California
YEARS ACTIVE: 1987 - Present
WHAT I THINK THE SONG IS ABOUT:
"Dreaming", the 1979 Blondie song covered here by Green Day, is a fast-paced new wave song that explores themes of escapism, the ephemeral nature of pleasure, and the pursuit of personal dreams, often contrasting them with the realities of life and fame.
GREEN DAY DISCOGRAPHY (Full length albums only):
1990 - 39/Smooth (Lookout! Records)
* Did not chart on the Billboard 200
1991 - Kerplunk (Lookout! Records)
* Did not chart on the Billboard 200
* Certified Platinum
1994 - Dookie (Reprise Records)
* Peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200
* Certified 2X Diamond
1995 - Insomniac (Reprise Records)
* Peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200
* Certified 2X Platinum
1997 - Nimrod (Reprise Records)
* Peaked at #10 on the Billboard 200
* Certified 2X Platinum
2000 - Warning (Reprise Records)
* Peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200
* Certified Gold
2002 - Shenanigans (Reprise Records)
* Peaked at #27 on the Billboard 200
2004 - American Idiot (Reprise Records)
* Peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200
* Certified 6X Platinum
2005 - Bullet In A Bible (Reprise Records)
* Peaked at #8 on the Billboard 200
2009 - 21st Century Breakdown (Reprise Records)
* Peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200
* Certified Platinum
2011 - Awesome As Fuck (Reprise Records)
* Peaked at #14 on the Billboard 200
2012 - Uno! (Reprise Records)
* Peaked at #2 on the Billboard 200
2012 - Dos! (Reprise Records)
* Peaked at #9 on the Billboard 200
2012 Tre! (Reprise Records)
* Peaked at #13 on the Billboard 200
2014 - Demolicious (Reprise Records)
* Peaked at #112 on the Billboard 200
2016 - Revolution Radio (Reprise Records)
* Peaked at #1 on the Billboard 200
2019 - Woodstock 1994 (Reprise Records)
* Peaked at #156 on the Billboard 200
2020 - Father Of All Motherfuckers (Reprise Records)
* Peaked at # 4 on the Billboard 200
2021 - BBC Sessions (Reprise Records)
* Did not chart on the Billboard 200
2024 - Saviors (Reprise Records)
* Peaked at #4 on the Billboard 200
MY THOUGHTS ON GREEN DAY:
Green formed as a band back in 1987, hailing from Rodeo, California. They were originally called Sweet Children. In 1989, they officially changed their name to Green Day. The band's debut album would be 1990's "39/Smooth". After this album, drummer Tre Cool joined the band and Green Day has been Billie Joe Armstrong on vocals/guitar, Mike Dirnt on bass and Tre Cool on drums ever since. 1991 saw the band release "Kerplunk". With the grunge movement in full swing and a burgeoning punk rock revival simmering, Green Day inked a major label deal with Reprise Records. Their first album with Reprise, 1994's "Dookie", went through the roof! With singles like "When I Come Around", "Basketcase", "Longview" and "Welcome To Paradise", Green Day became a household name and instant headliner. To this day, "Dookie" has gone on to be certified 2X Diamond! That's a lot of f'n records sold is all that means! The band followed that up with the much darker "Insomniac" in 1995. 1997's "Nimrod" featured the unsuspecting acoustic hit, "Good Riddance (Time Of Your Life)". In 2000, Green Day released "Warning" which not a totally stripped down album, but definitely not as distortion heavy as their previous albums. At this point in their career, many thought that Green Day's light was beginning to dim. Then came 2004's "American Idiot"! The band's first concept album, "American Idiot" sprung Green Day back to the top of the heap. This album turned Green Day from great punk band, to one of the best rock bands of all time, period. "American Idiot", "Holiday" "Jesus Of Suburbia" and "Wake Me Up When September Ends" were singles that propelled this album to #1 on the Billboard 200 charts and cemented Green Day as icons. In 2009, Green Day released "21st Century Breakdown", yet another super ambitious effort. 2012 saw the band release three full albums, "Uno!", "Dos!" and "Tre!". These are all solid albums but in retrospect, I think the band could have combined them into one 13 to 15 song album that would have been killer! 2016's "Revolution Radio" showed the band hasn't lost a step! Really great album! In 2020, the band kinda lost me a little bit. They released "Father Of All Motherfuckers" which was a pretty big departure to their core sound. I don't know if they just wanted to reinvent themselves or something, but I thought that album was easily the band's worst effort. I mean, I love every Green Day album and that one I might like only 1 or 2 songs. Luckily, the band returned to form with 2024's "Saviors", the band's most recent full length album. What can I say, Green Day is awesome as fuck!! No pun intended.. Like many people, my first taste of Green Day was in 1994 with "Dookie". It wasn't really the singles that got me, it was songs like "She", "Coming Clean" and "Pulling Teeth" that made me fall in love with the band. Also, the song "J.A.R." from the "Angus" soundtrack made me a super fan! At their core, they are a pop punk/melodic punk band but they are much more than that for sure. Billie Joe Armstrong is just a fantastic songwriter. The songs are so catchy and memorable. Green Day is just one of my favorite bands of all time. Just when you think they are done, they just keep putting out killer music, except for that lapse in 2020! Don't know what happened there!! I can't believe their song "Suffocate", which surfaced on their B-side compilation "Shenanigans", never made an official album! That song kicks mucho ass!
SIMILAR ARTISTS:
Foxboro Hot Tubs
Pinhead Gunpowder
The Offspring
My Chemical Romance
Alkaline Trio
TEN GREEN DAY SONGS YOU SHOULD CHECK OUT:
1. Suffocate
2. J.A.R.
3. Going To Pasalacqua
4. Armatage Shanks
5. She
6. Still Breathing
7. 2,000 Light Years Away
8. Know Your Enemy
9. Minority
10. Let Yourself Go
